20th April
11:58 GMT -5
Prince J'emm looks more than a little wilted as I finish showing him our fight with the Burner. S'yrra has fallen to a sitting position, hands clasping… Ring, coin toss.
Result is: Heads.
Clasping his head. He isn't squeezing his eyes shut or rocking back and forth or any of the other things a Human might do when faced with something so horrifying… Though, thinking about it… I'm not sure that I've ever had that paralysing response to anything. I mean, I knew how horrifying confronting some of my desires would be and I just did it anyway. I've fought Demons, supervillains, soldiers… Blume scared me but I didn't just huddle under the mountain until he went away. Even back on Earth Prime when my thanatophobia struck I didn't get paralysed, I just.. found something to do to keep my mind off it until it died down a little. Hm. When I have another crack at the Cottus thing I should have another chat with Thana about the nature of my soul. Hades seems like a decent guy, but if I'm heading there I'd like to be able to continue my work.
Wonder if the Controllers would be willing to make a non-Nekron associated black power ring for me, just in case?
**What. Other evidence do you have. What else did you see?**
I create a sound baffle around the room and then hold out my left hand. A projection of the Guardian who recorded the logs appears. "…difficulties, I continue to believe that rehabilitation is possible. Preserving the natives in their own habitat will be.. somewhat difficult now…" The image glitches. "…increasing sophistication. It is almost as if our presence here has provoked them to unify. How groups with whom we have not had direct contact are even aware of us I am not…" Another glitch, and the Guardian is replaced by a time lapsed image of the surface of Mars. "Simply destroying the natives and recreating them using genetic samples would be far easier. Still, we are resolved not to resort to such methods, even…" The image jumps forwards. "I did not properly anticipate the damage this conflict would cause to the planet's surface." We watch as chunks of surface are scoured of plant life. "The combination of telepathy and physical mutability enable them to fight us with surprising effectiveness, given their lack of technological…" Another glitch, and the map now shows the modern, barren Mars. A new Guardian appears. "…resettled into cave systems we constructed in areas already cleared. We have avoided leaving any trace…" Another glitch. "… different forms. The 'red' variant is least modified, though all three colours possess the comportment and empathy we were aiming to engender."
I don't see a particular reaction from either Red Martian. Given what we saw, I suppose it would be surprising if they did know. I suppose that in cases of ancient conspiracy I'm just trained by popular culture to suspect the ones who benefit from it. I think this situation justifies an empathic scan. S'yrra glows with yellow, uncertainty about the state of his mental universe and horror at the idea of becoming something like the Burner. Prince J'emm is.. harder to read. Certainly nothing which looks like guilt. Though I suppose if he's got good enough self control to essentially set his hand on fire then he could probably suppress that as well.
"Their natural telepathy means that the control system will be passed from one generation to the next in the womb without the need for constant intervention. Time will tell which…"
**They dared-!**
Again, it's weird. I can feel his anger through our mental link. It's not like just seeing it, like this it's so much more immediate. I'm getting the set of assumptions which lead to the anger, not in the clinical, removed way vision gives them to me but as if they were my beliefs, beliefs from my own culture.
There's a series of flickers. "… y colleagues have expressed concern that our modifications have reduced their aggression in too great a degree. Our predictive models show that it is possible that their civilisation will remain introverted as a result. Self isolating. Having reviewed the data in depth I have recommended a continual monitoring…" The image changes to show the Burner. "…intelligence, unusual in its kind. I will attempt to initiate mental contact. Perhaps we will be able to complete the conversion peacefully when they see that we have their best interests at heart?"
**Unsurprisingly, there were no further recordings. It looked like the remaining Burners killed the Guardians, their security robots and any modified Martians still on board before putting themselves in suspended animation. The one we encountered appeared to have sabotaged the other units to make sure that his remained powered for as long as possible.**
**Is there more?**
**I found this map.** I replace the image of the Burner with the globe showing pre-war Mars. Or Ma'aleca'andra, I suppose. **There may be more, but I won't be able to find out until I can talk to the Controllers. They have contact with the Guardians and may be able to access their records of the event.**
Prince J'emm takes a moment to think about things. **You were right to bring this to me. I will need to bring this to the royal conclave. Do you believe that there are any other 'Burning Martians' still in existence?**
**I'm sorry, I have no idea. It.. seems unlikely. They didn't seem like the 'deferred gratification' type and we've had no reports of rampaging fire monsters.** I pause for a moment as I contemplate my answer. **That also match the other parts of the description.**
**What became of the one you did encounter?**
**We recharged the ship and sent it to its owners' homeworld with a warning about what was inside. I don't know enough about Controller justice to know what they'll do with it. They might recreate the original work to turn it into a modern Martian, they might kill it out of hand or they might try something else.**
**We will need some time to decide what to do with this information. Can I assume that the fact you brought it to me first indicates that you do not intend to release it?**
**I don't intend to release it anytime soon, no. If I thought that the Red Martians were planning to sit on it indefinitely I might start dropping hints…**
**No, that would not be practical. Though we do need to be careful about how the release is presented. Thank you, for the information and your forbearance. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?**
**Yes, but nothing else is secret. You can call your retinue back in if you like.**
**I think it would be best for me to take a little time to get my thoughts in order first. As I feel now I could not guarantee that they would not feel something of my discomportment.**
**Alright. Then I'd like to present myself as this Space Sector's Orange Lantern. I'm based on Earth, but if there's anything the Corps can do for the people of Mars, you can tell me and I'll try to get it done.**
**Can you undo the damage done to the surface of our world? Can you restore the species lost? Can you cause the iron in our world's core to spin, granting us a magnetic field capable of turning aside the radiation which now deluges our planet?**
**Can I theoretically do that? Yes. But it wouldn't be safe for me to try spinning your world's core without knowing a lot more than I do about planetary physics. But the Controllers are thousands of years old. When I consult with them, I will speak to them about Mars and ask their advice. As for the damage done to your biosphere, I will also ask if they have records from that period. Or if their cousins the Guardians do. If so, then I will make them available to you. You could use them to start building nature reserves on the surface using artificial shields.**
**I will thank you in advance for the information. As for the reserves, I already sponsor several such sites. M'gann M'orzz's uncle Ma'alefa'ak J'onzz is responsible for one.**
**Yes, I'm planning on visiting him before I leave. Anything else you want?**
**Many minor things. Nothing worthy of your time.**
**I understood that there is some minor civil unrest?**
**There are flare ups every so often. It is an inevitable part of governing a large community. I myself do not agree with the intentional disadvantaging of my White subjects.**
**But advantaging your Red subjects is fine?**
He pauses before replying. **In light of what I have just been informed, I may need to reconsider many things.**
**One last question then. There are things I could do to make travel between Earth and Mars easier-.**
**No. Having borne witness to the upheaval caused by the limited contact we already have, I will not support any move to increase the frequency of such contact. I will take no action to stop you pursuing such an end yourself, but I will speak against it when asked. I do not believe that the time has arrived for a deepening of relations.**
I nod, then realise that they probably don't know what that means either. **Very well. Then I will take my leave. Thank you for seeing me.**
Columbus WAS well-read in Greek math, though. Doesn't mean he came to the right CONCLUSIONS.
